It looks like Denzel Washington is putting together quite the team for his directorial follow-up to the Academy Award-nominated “Fences.”
Fresh off his Oscar nomination for the titular role in “Roman J. Israel, Esq.,” Washington is teaming with another recent nominee for an adaptation of the best-selling memoir “A Journal for Jordan,” according to Deadline. “Mudbound” co-writer Virgil Williams, who was just nominated alongside Dee Rees, will adapt the memoir that tells the story of journalist Dana Canedy, who married First Sgt. Charles Monroe King. After deploying to Iraq, King began a journal of life lessons for his newborn son, Jordan. After his tragic death in 2006, King’s lessons have lived on as then 7-month-old Jordan has grown. Here’s the book synopsis:
In 2005, First Sergeant Charles Monroe King began to write what would become a two-hundred-page journal for his son in case he did not make it home from the war in Iraq. He was killed by a roadside bomb on October 14, 2006. His son, Jordan, was seven months old. A Journal for Jordan is a mother’s letter to her son about the father he lost before he could even speak–including a fiercely honest account of her search for answers about Charles’s death. It is also a father’s advice and prayers for the son he will never know. Finally, this is the story of Dana and Charles together–two seemingly mismatched souls who loved each other deeply and lost each other too soon.
Coming from TV, Williams has seen great success with his first feature film script for “Mudbound.” Released by Netflix, “Mudbound” has been a sleeper critical success, surprising many with 4 Academy Award nominations. Now, with an Oscar nom under his belt, many have been curious what his next project would be. And you can’t go wrong with working with Denzel Washington, a true Hollywood powerhouse.
Joining the two Oscar nominees is producer Todd Black from Escape Artists Productions. Black recently teamed with Washington for his last directorial effort, “Fences,” and the commercially successful “The Equalizer.” It looks like Washington is clearly developing this as yet another award season favorite, with multiple award-winning creators alongside him. While we know that Washington is eyeing this as his next turn as director, there’s no word on whether or not he’ll step in front of the camera, as well.
Producer Todd Black and Washington are currently finishing up “The Equalizer 2,” which opens on August 10th.